Improvement in packing for steam-piston and other rods



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

HENRY BERTRAND AND FRANQOIS VELUT, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

IMPROVEMENT IN PACKING FOR STEAMP|STON AND OTHER RODS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 85,988, (lilCil January19, 1869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY BERTRAND and FRANCOIS VELUT, of Paris, in theFrench Ernpire, have invented a new System of Metallic Spring-Packin g;and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to makeand use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specication.

' This invention relates to a metallic springpacking which can be usedon the cylinders of steamengines and on other suitable machinery. Itwill form a perfectly-tight joint, and is intended as a substitute forthe ordinary hemp packing, all leakage of the steam through the orice ofthe piston-rod during the operation of the engine being effectivelyprevented.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a verticallongitudinal section of our improved elastic packing. Fig. 2 is a planor top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail transverse section of thesame, taken on the plane of the line a: x, Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a detailtransverse section of the same, taken on the plane of the line y y, Fig.2. Fig. 5 is a front view of the spring-plate by which the parts areforced together. Fig. Gis a vertical longitudinal section of the innerpart of the packing, the plane of section being indicated by the line zz of Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The spring-packing chiefly consists of two semi-cylindrical plates, A A,which, when put together, form a slotted cylinder, which is fitted intothe box or head B of a steam-cylin der, as indicated in Fig. 1. Theinner end ot' this slotted cylinder A A abuts against an annular plate,C, which is fitted between it and the box or head B, as shown.

An elastic washer, a, may be interposed between A and C, or B and C, asshown in Fig. l. The outer end of the slotted cylinderAA is iittedthrough the tubular shank of a cap, D, which is placed with its shankinto the head B, as shown. The inner end of the Vtubular shank b of thecap D is beveled to the inside, and ts against inclined shoulders c cformed on the plates A.

E is a spring fitted upon the face of the cap D, and secured, by meansof bolts d d or otherwise, to the box or head B. This spring serves toforce the cap against the shoulders c c, to make a close joint betweenthe inner ends of A and the plate C, and to exert a lateral pressure onthe beveled shoulders c, whereby the two plates A are firmly forcedagainst the piston-rod F, to make a secure packing where they touch saidpiston-rod.

The inner ends of the plates A A are enlarged to form an annularchamber, e, around the piston-rod. Into this chamber are iitted twocurved plates, f f, which break the joints ofthe plates A, and which fitclose against the inner shoulders g of said plates, as is clearly shownin the drawings. Their longitudinal displacement is prevented by pins hh projecting from the plates A into the plates f, as in Fig. 6. Theplates f are as thick as the chamber e is wide, so as to ll exactly thespace they occupy between the plates A and the piston-rod.

The steam cannot enter the chamber e except where the plates f do nottouch each other, their inner ends fitting close against the plate C, topartly close the annular space between G and F. The steam, entering thechamber e where the plates f do not come together, will be preventedfrom escaping between the plates A, as their joints are closed by flongitudinally, as well as on the shoulder g. The joint between the ringG and the box or hea`d receiving the packing is a vulcanized-rubber orother washer, af.

When the packing is new the plates f f touch with every point of theirexternal faces the inner sides of the plates A in the chamber c, whichthey occupy within said plates A.

As soon as the wear resulting from the friction of the piston-rod has,by means of the cap D and spring E, necessitated the lateral closingtogether of the plates A in a horizontal direction, (the slot formed bythem being above and below the piston-rod, as in Fig. 3,) theobturating-plates f, carried by these plates A, follow their motion,which they effect in a vertical direction, so that they will alwayscontinue to retain theirrelative positions within the chamber e, thewear of the piston-rod on the plates A and f being alike. The plates fstill continue to fit against the plat-e C and shoulders g, as theycannot be worn out lengthi wise.

In order to cause the aforesaid mot-ion of the plates A and f, thepackingcap D isprovided with inclined edges `at its inner end, whichcau'ses the plates A to draw near as the cap is pressed inward. Asimilar inclined plane is formed on the shoulder o of the plates A. Theinclined plane is interrupted on two sides of the cap end, as is clearlyshown in Figs. 2 and 6, so as to obviate the inconvenience of thedifferences in diameters resulting from the cap-hole, which evercontinues the same, while the cylinder formed by the plates A changesits size as its inner side is being worn by the piston-rod.

t The force withrwhich the Vcap is to rest on the plates is regulated bythe spring E. This spring is intended not only to prevent an excessivepressure, resulting from the tighten-r ing of the bolts d, if these wereacting directly on the cap, but also (and this is the chief purpose) tocause a continuous pressure on the cap, and consequently t0 draw theplates AA closer together as they wear.

The plates A, for this reason, are not made to touch, but a certainplay, m, is left between, which keeps diminishing with the' Wear, butwhich;V is Very important, so that it mustV be renewed'when, inconsequence of the wear of the plates, it does no longer exist.

To prevent the spring from touching the` pist0n-rod,the plates'A may bemade' t0 eX# tend or project beyond the cap and through the spring.

This metallic packing may be applied to any class ot' machines, whatevermay be their forms and sizes, as it does not require the replacement ofthe cylinder-heads, and only necessitates the modification to be made inthe cap which is to give it the incline whereby the plates A and theobturating-plates f are held in lconstant contact with the piston-rod.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. The plates A A and ff, constructedsubstantiallly as described.

2. The combination and arrangement of the plates A A and ff and springE, substantially as set forth.

HY. BERTRAND. vVELUT.

Witnesses:

DEMOS,

A. GUION, F. OLCOTT, J. U. ZUsr.

